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Journeyman's test-any tips?

11-04-2007, 03:20 PM

I'm taking my journeyman's test for HVAC in a month. We go by 2003 international here. Any heads up on what the test was like? I think I'm stronger in the HVAC field than I am in plumbing(taking that test in 2 months) but with HVAC, they can throw anything at you. Any advice would be appreciated. If my fellow plumbers want to give me help on this one, it would keep me from making a new thread on the plumbing test.

The test is open book and the test covers an AC book and the 03 international mechanical code. I have both of these and have been focusing on the code book. I haven't seen a crash course available for either HVAC or plumbing in my local area. I've been doing ac for 11 years and am going back to school for it now. If I fail this test, I'm unqualified to do AC but they could always throw me a curveball.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

Comment

So many codes,so many possible questions.I did everything on my own so I knew I understood every part of our codes.I took my code books,page for page and wrote questions then had another binder which held the answers.The other thing that helped alot was good tabbing.No-one can remember every code but if you use tabs it will get you in the general area so you can find the answer.Skip the questions which require research,answer all the questions you know,then go back to your code books for the answers and fill in the blanks.You'll do fine if you know the chapter/section where the code question is from.Usually your first gut answer is the correct one.Know your venting [sizing/application] very very well,for plumbing and mechanical.

The test is open book and the test covers an AC book and the 03 international mechanical code. I have both of these and have been focusing on the code book. I haven't seen a crash course available for either HVAC or plumbing in my local area. I've been doing ac for 11 years and am going back to school for it now. If I fail this test, I'm unqualified to do AC but they could always throw me a curveball.

if you are allowed to bring in your own books for the test, then you want to highlight key areas and as apf has said, put tabs on the sections as this is a timed test.

doing ac for 11 years will give you a hugh heads up and you should be able to breeze through 75% of the test without any research. the 25% will require thinking and 10% of that might require research.

as far as i know you only need a 70% to pass. so don't drive yourself nuts. i know we all want to ace the test, but the stuff you miss, is the stuff you never use.

for me it was septic tanks

you will be surprised at all the other people in the room with you. chances are you will have the most experience there with 11 years.

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Our testing is done through Thomsen-Prometric, which used to be Experior, which used to be NAI Block. Here the tinners arent required to have Journeymans licenses, yet. I have taken a couple different tests for my business license. They were all timed, and written, with no computers.

Most of the questions arent even relevant. The last test I took had a bunch of flippin oil burner questions on it. We dont even burn oil in this area. There were plenty of electrical and plumbing questions too. The answers that can be looked up in the code book are the simplest ones there are. The code book is real easy to navigate.

Just because its open book, doesnt mean its easy. Only a small percentage of the questions can be looked up directly in the code book. The other ones do require thought, and even ingenuity in some cases.

July of '08 is the rumored date that we are supposed to go to state wide licensing. Everything is going to change then. I'm in the process of taking all the tests I can to make sure I am covered for when the state screws everything up.

The best advice I can offer is to make sure you read the question correctly. They try to fool you with throwing in extra words that totally change the meaning of the question. Also make sure your calculator has the square root function.

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I am a apprentice plumber going to take my Journeyman plumber test in Reno Nevada! Is there any sample test available or any other suggestions on passing the city Journeyman plumbing test? Thanks, I could really use the help.

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Our test is, and always was closed book in my state.When I was about a month before the test I just drove everyone around me nuts by turning conversations into code discussions at work...oh they loved that.I talked code for a month, then about a week beforehand I started reading the code book, not every word, but glancing at each page and section as I went to read on things I was rusty with.There are so many details that are easy to forget that it was a good idea to read up and have it all fresh in my head when I went for the test.Ideally most don't completely recall every detail they memorized for the test, in real life it is open book.I still read through my book when things are slow, knowing details and where they are located in the book really help in every day work.